Cypress Sticks to Postseason Script, Rallying Late for Victory
Cypress’ ability to score in the late innings of postseason games continued Saturday as the Chargers got five runs in the eighth inning to beat Santa Rosa, 13-11, in the first round of the state tournament Saturday night at Fresno.
Cypress trailed most of the game and was down, 11-8, going into the bottom of the eighth. The Chargers scored five runs and it was really nothing new. In the three previous regional victories, the Chargers scored a combined 18 runs in the final three innings.
“It was like a prizefight,” Cypress Coach Scott Pickler said. “It was weird, every time we would score, they would come back.”
Pinch-hitter Brandon Smith started the inning with a walk and Michael Duursma bunted and reached on an error. Gerald Laird walked to load the bases and Cory Sullivan forced in the first run of the inning with a four-pitch walk against reliever Jerome Godsey.
Godsey, a left-hander, then gave up a two-run double to Shaun Larkin, who lined the ball into the corner in right field. Larkin said afterward that the normally confident Chargers were starting to worry.
“It was getting late and we hadn’t done much,” he said, “but the hits started to fall.”
Cypress took the lead, 12-11, when Sullivan scored on a wild pitch. Steve Hindman lined a single to right to score Larkin and put Cypress ahead, 13-11.
Things got interesting as Chad McArdel, the home plate umpire, threw out Santa Rosa catcher Tony Arnerich for arguing a ball call and Santa Rosa Coach Ron Myers was tossed a few minutes later.
The Chargers advance to play Orange Empire Conference rival Santa Ana in the second round at 2 today. Cypress is expected to start Ron Corona (10-4) but just how well he pitches remains to be seen. Corona, a sophomore right-hander, broke the little toe on his left foot Tuesday while doing a workout in the college pool.
“He’ll be fine,” Pickler said. “He threw in the bullpen today and was OK. He’s a tough kid.”
Adam Spiker was one of the main reasons Cypress was close before the eighth-inning rally. Spiker finished with three hits and four RBIs.